WebMethodAttribute Class

Definition

Namespace:

System.Web.Services

Assembly:

System.Web.Services.dll

Adding this attribute to a method within an XML Web service created using ASP.NET makes the method callable from remote Web clients. This class cannot be inherited.

public ref class WebMethodAttribute sealed : Attribute

[System.AttributeUsage(System.AttributeTargets.Method)]
public sealed class WebMethodAttribute : Attribute

[<System.AttributeUsage(System.AttributeTargets.Method)>]
type WebMethodAttribute = class
    inherit Attribute

Public NotInheritable Class WebMethodAttribute
Inherits Attribute

Inheritance

Object

Attribute

WebMethodAttribute

Attributes

AttributeUsageAttribute

Examples

In the example below the method GetMachineName can be remotely called across the Web, because it has a WebMethodAttribute. GetUserName cannot be called remotely, because it does not have a WebMethodAttribute, even though it is public.

<%@ WebService Language="C#" Class="Util"%>
    using System;
    using System.Web.Services;
    public class Util: WebService {
       public string GetUserName() {
          return User.Identity.Name;
       }
    
       [ WebMethod(Description="Obtains the Server Machine Name",
       EnableSession=true)]
       public string GetMachineName() {
          return Server.MachineName;
       }
    }

<%@ WebService Language="VB" Class="Util"%>

Imports System
Imports System.Web.Services

Public Class Util
    Inherits WebService
    
    Public Function GetUserName() As String
        Return User.Identity.Name
    End Function    
    
    <WebMethod(Description := "Obtains the Server Machine Name", _
        EnableSession := True)> _
    Public Function GetMachineName() As String
        
        Return Server.MachineName
    End Function
End Class

Remarks

Methods within a class that have this attribute set are called XML Web service methods. The method and class must be public and running inside an ASP.NET Web application.

Constructors

WebMethodAttribute()	Initializes a new instance of the WebMethodAttribute class.
WebMethodAttribute(Boolean, TransactionOption, Int32, Boolean)	Initializes a new instance of the WebMethodAttribute class.
WebMethodAttribute(Boolean, TransactionOption, Int32)	Initializes a new instance of the WebMethodAttribute class.
WebMethodAttribute(Boolean, TransactionOption)	Initializes a new instance of the WebMethodAttribute class.
WebMethodAttribute(Boolean)	Initializes a new instance of the WebMethodAttribute class.

Properties

BufferResponse	Gets or sets whether the response for this request is buffered.
CacheDuration	Gets or sets the number of seconds the response should be held in the cache.
Description	A descriptive message describing the XML Web service method.
EnableSession	Indicates whether session state is enabled for an XML Web service method.
MessageName	The name used for the XML Web service method in the data passed to and returned from an XML Web service method.
TransactionOption	Indicates the transaction support of an XML Web service method.
TypeId	When implemented in a derived class, gets a unique identifier for this Attribute. (Inherited from Attribute)

Methods

Equals(Object)	Returns a value that indicates whether this instance is equal to a specified object. (Inherited from Attribute)
GetHashCode()	Returns the hash code for this instance. (Inherited from Attribute)
GetType()	Gets the Type of the current instance. (Inherited from Object)
IsDefaultAttribute()	When overridden in a derived class, indicates whether the value of this instance is the default value for the derived class. (Inherited from Attribute)
Match(Object)	When overridden in a derived class, returns a value that indicates whether this instance equals a specified object. (Inherited from Attribute)
MemberwiseClone()	Creates a shallow copy of the current Object. (Inherited from Object)
ToString()	Returns a string that represents the current object. (Inherited from Object)

Explicit Interface Implementations

_Attribute.GetIDsOfNames(Guid, IntPtr, UInt32, UInt32, IntPtr)	Maps a set of names to a corresponding set of dispatch identifiers. (Inherited from Attribute)
_Attribute.GetTypeInfo(UInt32, UInt32, IntPtr)	Retrieves the type information for an object, which can be used to get the type information for an interface. (Inherited from Attribute)
_Attribute.GetTypeInfoCount(UInt32)	Retrieves the number of type information interfaces that an object provides (either 0 or 1). (Inherited from Attribute)
_Attribute.Invoke(UInt32, Guid, UInt32, Int16, IntPtr, IntPtr, IntPtr, IntPtr)	Provides access to properties and methods exposed by an object. (Inherited from Attribute)

See also

• TransactionOption
• WebService